Tweet
Bert Samuels earns Gleaner's Silver Pen
Published: Monday | October 17, 2011 0 Comments
Attorney-at-law Bert Samuels receives his plaque from Sunday Gleaner News Editor Lovelette Brooks last Thursday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Attorney-at-law Bert Samuels was handed The Gleaner's Silver Pen award last Thursday for his Letter of the Day published on July 13 titled 'Illegal JPS practice'.
In his letter, the attorney said he was repeatedly consulted by consumers of electricity who wanted to know whether it was lawful for new customers to pay the arrears of previous users to particular premises, as a precondition to the supply of electricity there.
"My opinion has always been a resounding 'no'," he declared.
"Many of those to whom this advice has been given have failed to convince the electricity company that my opinion is correct, and have had their hands twisted into forcibly paying the arrears accrued on another's account to have service connected," Samuels wrote.
He said the practice was downright unlawful; and with the stranglehold of near-monopoly, the supplier of electricity had been allowed to carry out the illegal practice unabated.
Samuels called for the new minister of mining and energy, Clive Mullings, to immediately make it known publicly that the practice of requiring that new applicants assume the debt of others is illegal. Further, that penalties be imposed against the company should it seek to compel these applicants to act as collecting agents or guarantors for its delinquent customers.
"I was happy that after the letter came out, I was on radio with Minister Mullings, who agreed with me that it was illegal and should not continue," said Samuels.
Published: Monday | October 17, 2011 0 Comments
Attorney-at-law Bert Samuels receives his plaque from Sunday Gleaner News Editor Lovelette Brooks last Thursday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Attorney-at-law Bert Samuels was handed The Gleaner's Silver Pen award last Thursday for his Letter of the Day published on July 13 titled 'Illegal JPS practice'.
In his letter, the attorney said he was repeatedly consulted by consumers of electricity who wanted to know whether it was lawful for new customers to pay the arrears of previous users to particular premises, as a precondition to the supply of electricity there.
"My opinion has always been a resounding 'no'," he declared.
"Many of those to whom this advice has been given have failed to convince the electricity company that my opinion is correct, and have had their hands twisted into forcibly paying the arrears accrued on another's account to have service connected," Samuels wrote.
He said the practice was downright unlawful; and with the stranglehold of near-monopoly, the supplier of electricity had been allowed to carry out the illegal practice unabated.
Samuels called for the new minister of mining and energy, Clive Mullings, to immediately make it known publicly that the practice of requiring that new applicants assume the debt of others is illegal. Further, that penalties be imposed against the company should it seek to compel these applicants to act as collecting agents or guarantors for its delinquent customers.
"I was happy that after the letter came out, I was on radio with Minister Mullings, who agreed with me that it was illegal and should not continue," said Samuels.